Multidrug resistance mediated by MRP1 gene overexpression in breast cancer patients

Multidrug resistance (MDR) is a serious handicap towards the effective treatment of breast cancer patients. One of the most prevalent MDR mechanisms is through the overexpression of genes coding the proteins called Multidrug Resistance-associated Proteins (MRPs). The aim of this study was to investigate the expression of MRP1 in tumor tissues from breast cancer patients. In this study, a semi-quantitative RT-PCR approach was utilized. Our results suggest that MRP1 overexpression can mediate MDR in patients. Pre-evaluation of the level of such MDR mediators before chemotherapy can increase the efficacy of the treatment

Superior effects of quetiapine compared with aripiprazole and iloperidone on MK-801-induced olfactory memory impairment in female mice

Cognitive dysfunction is commonly observed in schizophrenic patients and the administration of antipsychotic treatments results in different outcomes. Although the typical antipsychotic treatments, such as haloperidol, appear to be unable to improve cognition dysfunction, the atypical antipsychotic drugs (quetiapine, aripiprazole and iloperidone) exert a beneficial effect. The purpose of the current study was to investigate the effects of atypical antipsychotics on olfactory memory in mice, utilizing the social transmission of food preference (STFP) tests to evaluate the effects of drugs on MK-801-induced cognitive dysfunction. Female BALB/c mice were treated with quetiapine (5 and 10 mg/kg), aripiprazole (3 and 6 mg/kg), iloperidone (0.5 and 1 mg/kg) or MK-801 (0.1 mg/kg) alone or concurrently prior to retention sessions of STFP tests. In the STFP tests, quetiapine (10 mg/kg; P<0.05), aripiprazole (3 and 6 mg/kg; P<0.01 and P<0.001, respectively), iloperidone (0.5 and 1 mg/kg; P<0.01 and P<0.001, respectively) and MK-801 (P<0.001) significantly decreased cued/total food eaten (%). Quetiapine (5 mg/kg; P<0.05) significantly increased MK-801-induced decreases in cued/total food eaten (%), while aripiprazole and iloperidone demonstrated no significant effects. The results revealed that all of the drugs disturbed olfactory memory in the naive mice; however, only quetiapine reversed MK-801-induced memory impairment in the STFP test

Effects of chronic administration of adipokinetic and hypertrehalosemic hormone on animal behavior, BDNF, and CREB expression in the hippocampus and neurogenesis in mice

Neurosecretory cells in corpus cardiacum of insects synthesize a set of hormones that are called adipokinetic, hypertrehalosaemic or hyperprolinaemic, depending on insect in question. This study investigated effects of chronic administration of Anax imperator adipokinetic hormone (Ani-AKH), Libellula auripennis adipokinetic hormone (Lia-AKH), and Phormia-Terra hypertrehalosaemic hormone (Pht-HrTH) on depression, anxiety, analgesy, locomotion in forced swimming (FST), elevated plus-maze (EPM), hot plate, and locomotor activity tests. Ani-AKH (1 and 2 mg/kg), Lia-AKH (1 and 2 mg/kg), and Pht-HrTH (1 and 2 mg/kg) had antidepressant effects in forced swimming test. Lia-AKH (2 mg/kg) and Pht-HrTH (1 and 2 mg/kg) had anxiolytic effects when given chronically in elevated plus-maze test. Ani-AKH (1 and 2 mg/kg) and Pht-HrTH (2 mg/kg) had antinociceptive effects in hot plate test in male balb-c mice. Ani-AKH (2 mg/kg), Lia-AKH (1 and 2 mg/kg), and Pht-HrTH had locomotion-enhancing effects in locomotor activity test in male balb-c mice. Drug treatment significantly increased brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) response element binding protein (CREB) gene expression levels compared to control levels. Pht-HrTH and Ani-AKH groups had significantly increased numbers of BrdU-labeled cells, while neurodegeneration was lower in the Pht-HrTH group. Our study showed that AKH/RPCH family peptides may be used in treatment of psychiatric illness such as depression and anxiety, in treatment of pain and in diseases related to locomotion system. AKH/RPCH family peptides increase neurotrophic factors in brain and have potential proliferative and neuroprotective effects in hippocampal neurogenesis and neurodegeneration

Farklı kanser tiplerine model hücre hatlarında ilaç dirençlilik mekanizmalarının moleküler yöntemlerle incelenmesi ve geri çevrilmesi

TÜBİTAK SBAG01.06.200

Effects of Acute Administration of Adipokinetic Hormone on Depression, Anxiety, Pain, Locomotion and Memory in Mice

The neurosecretory cells in the corpus cardiacum of insects synthesize a set of hormones that are called adipokinetic, hypertrehalosemic or hyperprolinemic depending on the insect in question. They are the Adipokinetic Hormone/Red Pigment-Concentrating Hormone (AKH/RPCH) family of peptides. The present study investigated the effects of acute administration of Locusta Migratoria (Locmi-AKHII) and Anax Imperator (Anaim-AKH) on depression, anxiety, pain (analgesy), locomotion and memory in mice in forced swimming (FST), elevated plus maze (EPM), hot plate, locomotor activity and passive avoidance tests. Both Locmi-AKH-II (4 mg/kg) and Anaim-AKH (0.25 and 0.50 mg/kg) decreased immobility time (in sec, s) in the FST test. Anaim-AKH (0.5 and 1 mg/kg) increased the percentage of time spent in open arms/total time spent and the percentage of the number of open arm/total arm entries in the EPM test. Anaim-AKH (1 and 2 mg/kg) significantly increased latency (s) (initial time passed) for mice to lick their hind paws or jumping in the hot plate test. Anaim-AKH (4 mg/kg) significantly decreased the total distance (cm) moved, or the speed (cm/s) of movement of the animals in the locomotor activity test. Neither Locmi-AKH-II nor Anaim-AKH altered the retention latency (s) in the passive avoidance test. Both Locmi-AKH-II and Anaim-AKH exerted antidepressant effects, while only Anaim-AKH had anxiolytic and analgesic effects when administered acutely. Anaim-AKH diminished locomotion at higher doses while Locmi-AKH-H had no such effects. Neither Locmi-AKH-II nor Anaim-AKH disturbed learning and memory when acutely administered. Data of our studies suggest clinical potentials of AKH to be used in depression, anxiety and pain without disturbing memory

Investigation of biological treatability of produced water generated from oil and gas fields

Üretim atıksuyu, petrol ve doğalgaz eldesi sırasında oluşarak petrol ve doğalgazın yeraltından pompalanması ile birlikte yüzeye çıkmaktadır. Üretim atıksuyu, içerisinde birçok organik ve inorganik bileşik içeren ve bu nedenle deşarjı öncesinde uygun şekilde arıtılması gereken bir atıksu türüdür. Bu atıksularının arıtılmasında fiziksel, kimyasal ve/veya biyolojik yöntemler kullanılmaktadır. Bu çalışmada, petrol ve doğalgaz üretim atıksularının biyolojik olarak arıtılabilirliğinin ortaya konması amaçlanmıştır. Bu kapsamda; petrol ve doğalgaz üretimi ve sadece doğalgaz üretimi yapan sahalardan elde edilen üretim atıksuyu ardışık kesikli reaktör (AKR) sisteminde arıtılmıştır. Doğalgaz üretim sahasından alınan atıksuyun yüksek tuzluluk içeriğinden dolayı, biyolojik arıtılabilirliğinin düşük seviyede olduğu görülmüştür. Petrol ve doğalgaz çıkarımının gerçekleştiği sahadan alınan üretim atıksuyunda ise ortalama KOİ giderim verimi %68 seviyesine ulaşmıştır. Petrol ve doğalgaz üretim atıksuyunun biyolojik olarak arıtılamayacak (inert) fraksiyonları da çalışma kapsamında belirlenmiştir. Üretim atıksuyunda %86 oranında biyolojik olarak giderilebilen KOİ içeriği olduğu saptanmış ve geri kalan kısmın inert partiküler ve inert çözünmüş KOİ olduğu tespit edilmiştir. Üretim atıksuyunda inert karakterizayonun ve biyolojik arıtılabilirliğinin belirlenmesi, en uygun arıtma prosesi seçiminde yol gösterici olması bakımından oldukça önemlidir.Produced water is co-produced during oil and gas production and the oil/water mixture is pumped out of the well to the surface. Produced water contains various organic and inorganic components and thus, should be treated properly before its discharge. Physical, chemical and biological methods are used for the treatment of produced water. The aim of this study was to determine the biological treatability of produced water originated from oil and natural gas fields. Within this concept, produced water from oil and natural gas field, and from natural gas field was treated by sequencing batch reactors (SBR). Because of the high salinity content of the produced water from natural gas field, biological treatability of the samples from this field was very low. Average COD removal efficiency of 68% was achieved in the SBR treating produced water from oil and natural gas field. Non-biodegradable (inert) fractions of the produced water were also determined in the study. Biodegradable COD constituted 86% of total COD in the produced water. The rest part of the total COD was found as inert (particulate and soluble) COD. Determination of the inert characterization and biological treatability of the produced water is very critical for the selection of the most appropriate treatment method

COVID-19: vaccination vs. hospitalization

Objective Vaccination is the most efficient way to control the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, but vaccination rates remain below the target level in most countries. This multicenter study aimed to evaluate the vaccination status of hospitalized patients and compare two different booster vaccine protocols. Setting Inoculation in Turkey began in mid-January 2021. Sinovac was the only available vaccine until April 2021, when BioNTech was added. At the beginning of July 2021, the government offered a third booster dose to healthcare workers and people aged > 50 years who had received the two doses of Sinovac. Of the participants who received a booster, most chose BioNTech as the third dose. Methods We collected data from 25 hospitals in 16 cities. Patients hospitalized between August 1 and 10, 2021, were included and categorized into eight groups according to their vaccination status. Results We identified 1401 patients, of which 529 (37.7%) were admitted to intensive care units. Nearly half (47.8%) of the patients were not vaccinated, and those with two doses of Sinovac formed the second largest group (32.9%). Hospitalizations were lower in the group which received 2 doses of Sinovac and a booster dose of BioNTech than in the group which received 3 doses of Sinovac. Conclusion Effective vaccinations decreased COVID-19-related hospitalizations. The efficacy after two doses of Sinovac may decrease over time; however, it may be enhanced by adding a booster dose. Moreover, unvaccinated patients may be persuaded to undergo vaccination